535-03 Page 7 aa rly Met
By bL E. Cropp
hodism was begun in Eng-
by the brothers John and
es Wesley. When, some
later, the movement
ed America, it took an
opal form, with bishops,
lingelders, ministers, pro-
sers, local preachers, ex-
rs and class leaders.
:hodism entered Canada by
of the States after the
lean Revolution. Thus the
churches were Episcopal in
I 111111,1EMORM
f{
,
VCCROr Sirocco 18 generallyP.n
credit for trying to estab-
k the Church of England as
official church of Canada,
g
a
\ e
the Presbyterian Church
"a ••
ya t!kIL' ' �x $
.
led on sufferance, It being
,�yg e 1
x•
- Established Church of Scot-
•N as ws
' '
But before his time, in
,�y.�•��a�
when Rev. George Neal,
a
tnodiat minister from Georgia,
a y
ed at Niagara, he was for-
_k
a a 'f*
Ibi
en to preach by the core-
idng officer of the district, it
ig explained to him that only
- West oxford United Church Built in
1854
.asters of the Church of Eng-
to in
IV
-
wer. permitted preach
ada. George Neal continued
praying, and to stand while
,venture bent, rode- horseback
spite of all storms, cold, heat,
flies, mosquitoes and other hin-
reach and was ordered to
preaching to the people who are
from his home in Sandwich, to
a
drances, he had not missed a
e the country by a certain
meanwhile sitting."
York and back. He kept jour-
nal of all he saw and experienced.
single appointment during the
. Before that time came the
< * •
In Oxford Township he found a
year. His remuneration was
'mending officer died, so
Nathan Bangs was the first
1
settlement that stretched for
f socks her
and 23 pairs o. Another
rge Neal stayed.
minister to visit this settlement,
!
eight miles on either side of the
young man said that in thr"e e
1794, the nrst quarterly
where white men had been living
line (meaning;. the
months he had received $2.75 to
.ling of the Methodist Church
for 18 years. Mr. Bangs also !
Concession
Ingersoll Road, of the First Con-
get his horse . shod, "But" he
held in the Niagara district.
visited Blenheim Township, and
Cession) with settlers. "Eden to
went on, man was. happier
"a later meeting, Nathan
classes were formed. On August
the 2nd and 3rd Concessions, a
than I as 2 rode through the
gs, from Connecticut, was
4th and 5th, in 1804, Nathan
Methodist Fleeting House, a
woods singing 'I'll Praise My
erted. In September, 1801,
Bangs attended a quarterly I
small tan -yard and a few good
Maker While I've Breath'."
scams an itinerating Metho-
meeting in Oxford. This is the
houses."
A typical year's work was re -
preacher. In 1802, he visited
first organization of which roc-
1
*
ported by one of these young
isolated backwoods settle-
ords are still kept.
*
*
! The circuit riders of the
men. He had filled 365 appoint-
t in the Township of Oxford.
* *
young
Methodist church traveled thou-
ments and traveled 3;650 miles.
s reported that the whole
Just when the first log church
i
Their
munity, white, black and
as built is not known, but by
l sands of miles every year.
$80 a year — if it
The mitigating circumstances
vn, attended his services. He
the year 1806, it stood on, or
the
salary was
et be collected. One probe-
was that these young men were
sported to have opened his
*near,
the site of present\)},
the first,/
tioner, John Carroll, reported
fed and lodged free of charge by
tings with the following
West Oxford church,
church
that in six months donations had
those whom they served. Also,
ds.
and for years the only
the County of Oz-
amounted to $1.50 and an order
few of them were married: Pro-
i am a Methodist preacher
building in
for a pair of overalls. Another
bationers were forbidden to
/ my manner of worship is to
ford. In that year a young man,
reported that in
marry until after their four
d while singing, kneel while
Charles Askin by name, on ad-
young preacher
pi ieult I n istri
years of service, so they had no preachers were sometimes as -
family responsibilities. saulted, verbally and otherwise.
Nathan Bangs, who became a Upon one occasion a rugged
probationer in 1802, married blacksmith stopped him as he
Mary Bolton, of Edwardsburg, in
1806. He was just in time, for was riding past, and with much
shortly after the term of proba- abusive. language declared his
tion was raised to six years. intention to knock the preacher �
* * * cold, Without a word Ryan dis-�
Tales of the saddle -bag mounted, and seizing the,,
preacher are usually accom-
panied tdd blacksmi
th, threw him
by tales of his -horse, aa
and many are the fine horses re- over the fence into a brush heap a,,
membered. They needed to be * " *
sturdy and wise, for many a time When the War of 1812 was de- *fit
did their rider's life depend upon. clared, Methodism suffered a al
his horse's sagacity. A certain severe setback. Most of the usk
justice of the peace once re-
marked to a young preacher that ministers, being traveling Sund
the Master was content to ride preachers from New York State, weri
upon a humble ass. "Sir;' re- were accused of being spies, and
plied the preacher, "there are no forbidden to enter the couiptry.
asses left. They have all been No doubt the sympathies of.
made into justices of the peace."
In 1805 there were six Metho- these men were divided, but this roe ha
dist Zpiscopal circuits in Upper was also another chance for th i,,.
Canada. By 1810, there were 10 British rulers of the country to
circuits, all under the New York try to stamp out all these un- -MANI
Conference. In this year Henry Este
Ryan, of Niagara (on -the -Lake), welcome "sects" that were invad- S9_I
became presiding elder for Upper ing Canada. Quaker and Baptist
Canada. The presiding elder held missionaries were served the
a key position. He advised the same
bishop as to the appointment of *. * i
ministers to circuits; visited the Some of the preachers persist.
circuits in his district once a
.quarter; presided at the quar- ed'in the face of ever-growing
terly meetings, where business opposition, but saw at last that
was transacted, dispensed the it was best to withdraw for a
communion, and preached in- time. One of the last to go met
spirationalsermons. If time per- an Indian on the road, who let':
mitted he also visited some of passed his hands over the g to
the leading families. preacher's arms and shoulders d if
* * * and then remarked: "Ugh! You.
Henry Ryan's duties involved Yankee. You fat. You good to
fourthousand miles of travel eat!" The preacher made for the
annually. To supplement his border.
salary of $80 a year, upon which Without. their ministersthe
he kept his wife and family at scattered congregations in the
Niagara, he sold a household bush were like lost sheep.: Henry
gadget of his own invention, Ryan did the work of several
and also hauled freight in winter men, traveling tirelessly, preach -
with a sleigh and team. Ryan ing, organizing. Also, Methodistsl.
was a forceful preacher, and he were not allowed to hold prop -
was blessed with a powerful erty. dp
physique which served him in
good stead in those days when
s No one can say now what
" irst Methodist
Trekked
young preacher reported hat in. spite
of all storms, cold, heat, flies, mos-
quitoes and other hinderances, he had
_. q
)ver Oxford
on Horseback
not missed single appointment dur-
ing the year. His remuneration was
_ _ - -- --- -_-__
CHURCH
$ and 23 pair of socks. Another
HISTORIC
;..
years:- Mr. Bangs also visited glen-
young
ng man said that in three months
KINGSTON, Ont. (CP)—The
- a,y x; , , • L,.op.,.
heim Township, and classes were
he had received $2.75 to get his horse
congregation of Switzerville Uni-
Methodism was begun in Er,, land
formed. On August 4th and 5th, in
shod. "But", he went on, "no man
ted Church near here observed
- the brothers John and Charles1804,
Nathan Bangs attended a quar-
was happier than I as I rode through
the 127th annviersary of the for-
'esley. When, some years later, the
terly meeting in Oxford. This is the
the woods singing I'll Praise My
'mation of the Switzerville Chapel,
ovement reached America, it took
first organization of which records
Maker While I've Breath:"
where the first minister of the
Bishops,,
i Episcopal form, with Bisho s;
are still kept. -
A typical p
yp- year's work wasre reported
Methodist -Episcopal Church in
-esiding elders, ministers, probat-
* « <
r by one of these young men. He had
Canada was Ordained in 1828.
ners, local preachers, exhorters and
Just when the first log church was
' filled 365 appointments and travelled
— - - - --_--- --"--
ass leaders.
built is not known, but by the year
3,650 miles.
Methodism entered Canada by way'
1806, it stood on, or near, the site
« . y
the States after the American
of the present West Oxford church,
for the
The mitigating circumstances was
Q
195.t- a k;h-Aew was
volution. Thus the first churches
:re Episcopal in form,
the first, and years only
church building in the County Of Ox-
that these young men were fed and
lodged free of charge by those. whom
.Iw
o-dd 6a,11 ' e, n.+1'f4 we srentf
« « * -
ford. I'n that year a young man, Chas..
bent,
they served. Also, fe wof themwere
aL 7Aa m esf- os{
In 1794, the first quarterly meet-
Askin by name, on adventure
from his home in
married. Probationers were forbid-
T -e. 41 et.. W.
0.s w«rc of o..e+
the Methodist Church was held
rode horseback
den to marry until after their four
'rho ,✓a
- a later
the Niagara district. from
,eting, Nathan Bangs, from Conn.;`
Sandwich York .. andUack. He
- years of service, so they had no fam-
kept a journal of all he saw ana ez--ily responsibilities.
Ddn.•7 Ndrr%+ fe'^:/y 4/
is converted. In September, 1801, he I
perienced. In Oxford Township he I
Nathan Bangs, who became a pro-
came an itinerating Methodist prea-;
Height
found a settlement that stretched for
Con-
bationer in 1802, married Mary Bol-
u'�- Rry nsJds
er. In 1802, he visited the isolated
miles on either side of the
- I
ton, of Edwardsburg, in 1806. He
1
ekwoods settlement in the Town -.`cession
line (meaning the Ingersoll
was just in time, for shortly after
1u%//e>d Sco 1Y' a
:Ord. It is reported that
p
Road, or the First Concession) with
-
the term of probation was raised to
t,�„
communal white, black
Y,
settlers. "Even to the 2nd and 3x•d
six years.
-
attended his services. He
Concessions, a Methodist meeting
Tales of the saddle -bag preacher
to have opened his meet-
P
House, a small tan -yard and a few
are usually accompanied by tales
CO.A. za a ort+ __ _
he following words.
good houses." « « «
,-,---
his horse, and many are tho fir*
besturdy and wise, for many a tim
i Methodist preacher and!
The the
horses remembered. They needed R'
dxd their rider's life depend on thf
r of worship is to stand'
in kneel while ra in
g, P Y g,
Methodist
young
Y g circuit riders of
church travelled thousands
ih t✓e
_ _st Oxfrrrd @6, ce sn+a`ar .
— _ r
horse's sagacity. A certain justice o1
the peace once remarked to a young.
Ind while preaching to the
P g
of miles
.every .year, Their salary
Jah„4a❑ors -pied to
% Ss'--�re 8;' yK.
,preacher that the Master was can l
no are meanwhile sitting."was
80 a
$ year —if it could be col-
lected. One John Car-
Hen r ca rrul/ _ 183y - " 3a
y ,tent
to ride upon a humble ass. "Sir';
* * s
Bans was the first mini-
+
this
probationer,
roll, reported that in six months dan-
had
gYaa Jr;'xn Fa /frn- Jg9� - '•&9 ",
oY-yerYf_ J f zm /ids
replied the preacher, "there are no
asses left. They have all been made
- 9 rent, where
settl
this ., b;
ations amounted to $2 STatld and
,
er; n fha a paid .,e overall.. Another
5aci• _ ocayral/,s -�crJA
?``�" '
into justices of the peace."
fl/
YL�'
happened to the, first little West
Oxford. Church, but-d=btiese tiie-
property was confiscated by the
Government. The building may
ry
have been destroyed when the
'>•'pY
district was ravished by the
6A"
Americans. When, after the war,
d
the Methodists were again al -
I_ p 6
lowed to hold property, the West
Oxford congregation either so-
oy
quire or re -acquired the pro¢wa -
_
erty upon which their ehur,
now stands. The deed for
property is dated November 29t,,
1823. A few years later a accord
�,a
e✓,r'41
church was built on this propert.%..
eo,+�1°*'!'
There .are stories of people walk-
ing to this church from homer
15 miles away. They walked.
.barefoot with their shoes under
"5
their arms to within sight of the
i
church, and then put them on
for a decorous entrance.
a.e
w
ts>v
was formed
In 1832, a ' %
ev. . John Baillie,
under the Rev.
comprised t1v- following
-of
churches Oxford Chappel,
wj Gr/
OD
Beachville, Ingersoll, 12th Con -
cession Zorra, Woodstock, North
Oxford, Embro Road, Aylmer, -
0 /3
Mt. Elgin, Dereham and Salford.
_a o
�93 _
In 1842, the circuit became
Sac_
known as the Woodstock circuit.
In 1849, the circuit was divided
in half, part becoming the Wood-
stock circuit and half the Inger-
sell circuit.
In -1854, the second West Ox-
ford Church was taken doivn